Students Donate Artwork for Go Red for Women Day in Scranton

WSPA Channel 7 Reporter Christine Scarpelli and WSPA Channel 7 Photojournalist Ryan Goodman were at Main Street Junction on Main Street in downtown Union Friday morning interviewing local residents, officials, and businesspeople about the community's support of National Wear Red Day, the Paint the Town Red Project, and Heart Awareness Month.

The event focused on the number one killer in women, heart disease which is how one in three women die each year. The bad news is that there are myths out there that many women have bought into. Heart attack and stroke are the leading cause of death of women over the age of 35. "Having a healthy heart is part of living an overall healthy lifestyle". Or whether women of all ethnicities share the same risk?

Studies show that even though nine of 10 women have at least one of the risk factors, most underestimate their risk. A healthy heart starts with making a commitment to you. You can also reach out to our clinic here.

Myth: I don't have any symptoms, so I'm fine.

"Chest pains and shortness of breath, but not everyone has the classic symptoms", said Karen Sinclair, a nurse at Glenwood.

"I notice through my career and practice a lot of women keep going and going without paying attention to their own health and they always tough it out, and unfortunately many things could have been caught and prevented from the early stage", said Tong Ren, an ICU nurse at Saint Peter's University Hospital. This can create numerous problems, many of which are related to atherosclerosis, which is when plaque builds up on the walls of the arteries. If a blood clot forms, it can stop the blood flow.

She added that women also can make greater impact on the lives and health of their families.

He said if they would just take preventative measures, it could save their lives. That means first taking a close look at risk factors. But it's not recommended for women in their 60s or those at high risk for breast cancer.